Hotel gave me a different room than what they originally tagged my bags
Editing to include: this is a 4-star, was 5-star one year ago, hotel/resort on the beach. I am traveling internationally with my BFF to celebrate my birthday and am not from the country where the hotel is located.
The room I originally thought I was getting was way closer to the beach & better pool access. The room I got is close to the road/lobby, and apparently bar lol, with a lot less privacy (see my update comment & below)
- people can see us changing/showering/toilet as they walk past our room through gaps in wooden shutters (not the shutter slats I want to clarify, it is vertical gaps going up and down the whole vertical length of the shutter panels.) above the tub. Especially at night when the lights in the bathroom are on and it is dark outside. I went up to the lobby to ask for a sheet to hang to block it for the night and you can see into our bathroom even from there(!).
Yes, I still got the same type of room I paid for. But the location of the room couldn’t be more drastic than the one I thought I was going to get - my bad for getting excited and then feeling disappointed.
Yes I waited in the lobby next to my bags, with all of my important things to travel, but it is a big lobby with several couch sections, people going in and out, etc. & bags all over the place, again, right next to the road. Our large suitcases were literally right next to the road, by the guard, but still anyone driving past could have easily grabbed them if the guard stepped away for toilet or whatever. The lobby is up several flights of stairs from the main entrance to the road - open air concept.
I haven’t complained or been rude to anyone working here, literally posted here to vent and get feedback.
Hi, first time poster in this sub. Does anyone have any insight on what I could/should do in this case? I typically am a very understanding person, but honestly feeling very confrontational about the situation and I would like to hear other thoughts/opinions.
Just happened when I checked into my hotel. Context:
We arrived several hours early to the hotel, I never asked for an early check in, was completely fine to wait for my room.
This is in a country where I don’t speak the native language (SEA)
My luggage was tagged while I waited to actually get into the room, it was tagged A101.
I am with a partner, I told my partner I was going to walk the hotel grounds and look around while we waited, and I saw that room A101 was in a great location!
The hotel has rooms that open up to a giant pool, and this was further from checkout/road area, more in the “prime” zone.
I waited in the lobby, several times was asked if I wanted to go to a “waiting room”, which I declined because my bags with important things were left out in the open with many guests walking by them.
I know the staff kept an eye on things, but I would rather be safe than sorry. and for my own sanity, I would have just been constantly needing to check that my bags were still there anyways.
When it was time to go to the room, I was presented with a keycard that said A107. I did say something about the numbers being different, but they did not really answer me. I thought ok I will see, and maybe language barrier.
Honestly after several hours of waiting I just wanted to get to my room. I was led to a room in the literal worst spot for the room type I booked. Close as possible to front desk/road area, smaller section of pool in front of my room, and not very nice views. The room also has a not-good smell in the bathroom, like sewer coming from the pipes.
Also they wrote different numbers on the tags several times, trying to disguise A101 to A105-A107?? Just so strange.
Honestly, it still is beautiful, but after expecting A101 and then being given this I am just angry. I am exhausted - went to bed after midnight, woke up to go to the airport at 4:30 am, flight, then ride
OH MY GOD AS I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF POSTING THIS A GUY LITERALLY PULLS UP WITH TWO BUCKETS OF WOOD STAIN AND STARTS STAINING THE DECK DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. The smell is so strong, like what???
Anyways, ffs, the room is the same type as the one I booked but just feeling so disappointed. If I hadn’t been expecting the better room I honestly would have been a bit dissatisfied but not as bad as I am feeling knowing I could have had - did have?? - better and for some reason was put here instead.
I honestly think the front desk people did it on purpose because I didn’t leave the lobby - I went to the toilet and came back, and they were lounging on the couches in the lobby but immediately jumped up and went back to “post positions”.
I told them with a smile and laugh that they didn’t need to do that, but I understand the need to be professional.
I could tell they were talking, & wanting me to leave in a language I can’t understand.
Tbh, I would have loved to go to the waiting room in the AC instead of outside in the 31 degree weather, but I didn’t feel good about leaving my bags.
I wasn’t being weird, just sitting there scrolling and then I journaled a bit.
Also it is my birthday trip. I guess my expectations are a bit high because I want to have a nice time.
I booked through 3rd party app and honestly just want to stay one night, then try to get refunded and go somewhere else. I just don’t have the energy or want to have to go fight about this, but it seems like I will need to or just deal with it. I don’t know. What do you think or what would you do?
TLDR:
Arrived at hotel and my bags were tagged with a great room number. When it was time to go to the room, I was given a different room, in the worst location for the type of room I booked. Feeling sensitive, tired, and just annoyed. Are my feelings valid, or am I overreacting a bit?